# Easy peasy recipesie



## DeeJay

*2-Ingredient Nutella Souffle*

1 cup Nutella
4 eggs, separated
A little bit of butter (for non-stick purposes, doesn't count as an ingredient)

(Yes, that's it.  That's the ingredient list.)


Preheat oven to 375.
Butter the inside of 4 6-inch ramekins
(Please do use butter and not shortening or margarine.  I'm asking you nicely.)
In a large bowl, whisk together the Nutella and egg yolks until fully blended.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they reach stiff peak stage.
Stir in 1/3 of the whites into the Nutella mixture until completely blended.
Gently fold the rest of the whites into the Nutella mixture - do not beat or whisk, gently fold.
Divide the Nutella evenly between the ramekins.
Bake for 17  minutes.
Serve immediately, topped with whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, or straight up.

One of the many reasons you should keep a jar of Nutella in your pantry.


----------



## DeeJay

The easiest *eggnog ice cream*?  If you have an ice cream maker, throw a quart of store bought eggnog into the canister and churn/freeze according to your machine's directions.  Toss in mini chocolate chips to make it fancy!


----------



## DeeJay

*Candy Cane Fudge*

_In your microwave!_  If you thought making fancy fudge involved double boilers and equipment you don't have and don't know how to use, think again.

1 10 oz package white chocolate chips
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 cup crushed candy canes 


Combine the white chocolate chips and milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir.  Continue microwaving and stirring at 20 second intervals - as in microwave 20 secs, stir, repeat until mixture is melted and smooth.
Crush the candy canes by putting them in a large freezer bag, seal the bag, and roll over them with a rolling pin until crushed to your satisfaction.  You want it fine, but not too fine.  You can also use a food processor if you have one.
Stir the peppermint extract into the chocolate mixture, then immediately add 1 cup of the crushed candy cane, and combine well.  (The reason you want to add the candy canes immediately after the extract and stir  is because the extract can make the chocolate separate and be weird.)
Line an 8x8 pan with foil or wax paper, then pour the fudge mixture into the pan.  Smooth it out on top so it's even.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of candy cane on top.
Cover the pan and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Lift the fudge out of the pan, remove the foil, and cut it into 1" squares.


----------



## DeeJay

*Gran's Sausage Gravy*

Sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast was a treat when I was a kid.  As a young bride, I wanted to surprise my husband with a special breakfast, so I called my grandmother and asked her how to make her sausage gravy.  She thought I was crazy because it's so easy to make it never occurred to her that anyone wouldn't know how.  BUT there is a trick....

1 lb bulk breakfast sausage
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 to 4 cups of whole milk
1/2 tsp seasoned salt (my preference is Misty seasoning, from the famed steak house in Lincoln, NE, but Lowry's or Season-All will do.)
whomp biscuits
scrambled eggs


Brown the sausage in a large skillet or pot over medium heat, breaking into smallish bits and making sure it's cooked through.
Do not drain the fat!
Do not turn the heat off!
*Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir to coat well, making sure to get the bottom so it doesn't stick.
Add the seasoned salt, sprinkling over the sausage/flour mixture, and stir well.
Add a cup of milk, and stir to combine.
Add another cup of milk, and stir again.
Add the third cup of milk, and by now you should have a gravy.
Give it a few minutes to thicken, stirring frequently, and add more milk a little at a time until it's the consistency you want.

Turn the heat off and cover, but don't forget about it because you still want to stir and check so it doesn't stick or get too thick.  Make your whomp biscuits (you know, the canned biscuits that you have to WHOMP! to open?) and your scrambled eggs (allow 3 eggs per person....trust me on this).  Serve by opening a biscuit, topping it with eggs, and smothering it with gravy.

*This is the trick.  By sprinkling the flour and stirring it in with the meat and fat before you add the milk, it coats everything up nicely and no lumps when you add the milk.  Because lumpy gravy is just sad.


----------



## DeeJay

Step up your grilled cheese game with these *Easy Grilled Cheese Rollups*.  Serve them with cream of tomato soup, of course.

Slices of white bread, crusts removed
Slices of American cheese
Butter

Flatten a bread slice and top with a slice of American cheese.  Roll up tightly and fry in butter over med heat, turning to make sure all sides are golden brown.  Make as many as you want, but be aware that you'll eat more of them than you think.


----------



## DeeJay

Feel like you're being hip and healthy with this simple *Hummus Crusted Chicken*!

4 boneless chicken breasts or thighs
1 container of hummus, any flavor, even plain
Butter


Heat a large skillet to medium and melt a couple tablespoons of butter until it starts turning a bit brown.
Coat the chicken pieces with hummus - be generous - and lay them in the sizzling pan.
Cook for 10 minutes, turn, and cook for 10 more minutes.
Check for doneness, and give it another few minutes on each side if needed.


----------



## DeeJay

Baby, it's cold outside!  Warm up with this super easy *Chicken Enchilada Casserole*!  (See that "olé" at the end?)

3 cups cooked chicken (this is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken from the grocery)
1 14 oz. bottle of enchilada sauce
6 large corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese (a Monterey Jack blend)


Preheat oven to 375.
Chop/shred the chicken and combine it with the enchilada sauce.
In an oven proof medium rectangular casserole dish, sprayed with Pam or some other non-stick, spread about a half cup of the chicken mixture.
On top of that, layer in this order:  Two tortillas; 1/3 of chicken sauce mix; 1/3 cheese; repeat; and repeat again for three layers.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is melted.


----------



## DeeJay

Need an easy and festive appetizer?  Try *Mini Caprese Kabobs*!

2 pints of baby tomatoes 
8 oz package of fresh mozzarella pearls  (you can usually find these at Giant - otherwise get the larger mozz balls and cut them into 1/2" cubes)
2 bunches fresh basil - the largest leaves you can find.
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Salt
1 pack of frilly toothpicks

Thread one end of a basil leaf onto a pick.
Slide on a mozz ball/cube.
Slide on a tomato.
Thread the other end of the basil onto the pick to secure.
Do this until you run out of something.
Arrange kabobs on a serving platter and drizzle with oil and vinegar, then give them a light sprinkle of salt.

Looks so fancy and takes very little effort.


----------



## DeeJay

I always thought everyone knew how to do make *Easy Homemade Donuts*, but I recently learned that that's not the case.  So here's how:

1 can whomp biscuits (remember, the kind you have to whomp on the counter to open)
Vegetable oil
Powdered sugar, frosting, jelly, or other toppings


Fill a large frying pan about half way up the side with oil and heat over medium until it starts to shimmer.
Take a biscuit and poke a hole in the middle with your finger, then stretch them out just a bit but not so much that they tear.
Fry the donuts in oil until brown on one side, then turn and fry on the other side.
Drain on paper towels, then dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with frosting.


ALTERNATE:
You can fry the donuts fresh out of the can, no hole poking, then when cooled use a pastry bag to force some jelly in the middle.

This was a favorite treat when I was a kid, which I passed on to my kids.  Not a whole lot that's better than fried dough.


----------



## DeeJay

Sounds fancy, so don't tell anyone that this *Cacio é Pepe *(cheese and pepper) is so easy to make.  This is one of my go-tos when I'm starving and need food NOW!

8 oz spaghetti (or bucatini if you can find it)
1 cup grated parmesan or any other hard Italian cheese
2 Tbsp butter
salt
lots of cracked pepper to taste


The key is to keep the pasta starchy, so bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil but only use enough water to cover the pasta.  You can add more if it starts boiling dry.
Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
Drain the spaghetti (do not rinse!!) but reserve the pasta water.
Spaghetti goes back in the pot over low heat with about a half cup of the reserved pasta water.
Add the butter and toss until melted.
Sprinkle the cheese over it, tossing to combine and melt.
Hit it with a little salt, then add your pepper - as much or as little as you want (I like a lot).


You'll end up with a creamy savory simple meal or side dish.


----------



## DeeJay

Skip the Boboli and try this simple 2-ingredient *Pizza Dough*, made possible through the magic of Greek yogurt.  The crust comes out chewy, like focaccia, and stands up to generous toppings and melted mozzarella.

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 - 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour


Mix together the yogurt and 1 cup of the flour until well combined.
Stir in more flour until you get a dough that is pliant but not sticking to everything.
Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
Cut the dough in half and roll out two pizza crusts.
Top as desired and bake at 450* 10-12 minutes.
*Tips for good pizza crust*


Don't work with more than you can handle.  The larger the pizza, the harder it is to roll out an even crust without tearing it.  Start with smaller pizzas.
Heat your baking sheet or pizza stone in the oven while you're making your dough.  Placing the crust on a hot surface will crisp it up better and give you a solid foundation for your toppings.
Don't top your pizza until right before it goes in the oven.  This is the biggest mistake people make with homemade pizza.
The second biggest mistake is that they cook it at too low a temp.  Blast that baby at 450*.
Get a job at a pizza restaurant - they will learn you right quick and then you'll be throwing and stretching your crust instead of rolling it out.


----------



## DeeJay

Today is an excellent day for brownies and these *3-Ingredient Nutella Brownies* couldn't be easier!  


1  1/4 cup Nutella
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour


Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients until smooth.
Pour into a greased metal 9x9 pan.
Bake 15 mins.


Did you heed my advice to always keep Nutella in your pantry??


----------



## DeeJay

Warm yourself with decadent *Creamy Garlic Broccoli* and let your side dish be the star.  (Pssst...it's healthy and low-cal, too).

1 bunch broccoli florets
1/2 cup garlic hummus  (or use more to your taste)


Steam, roast, or boil your broccoli until crisp-tender.
While still hot, toss it with the hummus.
Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Hummus is another one of those things you should always keep around because you can make an awful lot of things with it.


----------



## DeeJay

Craving lasagna but dreading the prep time?  Try this *Lazy Lasagna*.  Makes a lot because your people will scarf it, plus you can freeze individual portions for next time you want a quick and easy lasagna fix.

2 large (28 oz) jars of pasta sauce (any kind)
2 large packages of frozen ravioli (any kind)
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 15 oz tub of ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 egg


Grease a 9x13 pan and heat oven to 400*.
Divide ravioli into three piles to make layering easier.
Combine the ricotta, parmesan, parsley, and egg.
Make three layers as follows:  1/3 sauce, 1/3 ravioli, 1/3 ricotta, 1/3 mozzarella; repeat; repeat.
Leave about a half cup of sauce to drizzle over the top, then sprinkle grated parmesan over it.
Cover with greased foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.
Let it stand for 15 minutes so the cheese settles down before serving.

If you want, you can doctor your pasta sauce with cooked ground beef or Italian sausage but this dish doesn't really need it.


----------



## DeeJay

Trying to eat healthier in the New Year?  Well put away the salad because cold weather means comfort chow, and I guarantee these *Gooey Chicken Burritos* will comfort you!

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (did I  ever mention how I think whoever invented the supermarket rotisserie chicken should get a Nobel Prize?)
1 avocado, diced
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/2 cup salsa
4 large flour tortillas (TIP:  the low-carb Mission tortillas are REALLY good)
Oil for the pan

Combine the chicken, avocado, cheese, and salsa.
Divide equally between the tortillas and roll them up, tucking in the ends so they don't goober all over the pan.
Fry over medium heat in a *lightly* oiled pan; brown on one side, then flip and brown the other side.
If you want, top with more salsa before serving.


----------



## DeeJay

My new cooking gadget is a *Salbree Microwave Popcorn Popper*.  It's collapsible for easy storage, makes wonderful light crispy popcorn, and because it pops with no oil it's healthier for you than the pre-packaged microwave popcorn (drizzle that butter on with no guilt).

Honestly it sounded too good to be true because I haven't had a lot of luck with microwave poppers in the past, but the Salbree popper delivers.  For best results, I recommend Pop Secret Jumbo popping corn.  Just place 1/4 - 1/2 cup of corn in the popper, put the lid in place, and microwave for 2 - 2 1/2 minutes.  You can use a little oil if you want to, about a tsp per 1/2 cup of corn, but it's not necessary.  

I'm a popcorn person and my favorite topping is good old fashioned butter and salt, but you can get one of the commercial flavored toppings, or make your own.  Pretty much any herb or spice will do; one of my favorites is to spike the melted butter with Cholula or Sriracha before drizzling it on.  You can also make your own kettle corn by sprinkling a teaspoon or so of sugar over the corn before you pop it, then drizzle with butter and salt after.  Another treat is to add 1 tsp of hot chili oil to the kernels, pop, then hit it with butter and fine sugar.

Did you know that popped popcorn keeps for a few days, AND dries out a bit to be even crispier?  Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container (freezer bags are my storage of choice).

Popcorn also makes a good party snack because everyone likes it and you rarely see it offered at gatherings, so skip the chips and offer your guests something different next time.  Just make a lot because it gets gone fast.

The Salbree Microwave Popper is available at Amazon for around $15.  I get no incentives from either Salbree or Amazon for this review, it is completely honest and my own personal recommendation.


----------



## DeeJay

If you think packaged ramen is just for poor college kids, think again.  In the past few years *ramen noodle* houses have sprung up all over the US as trendy comfort food that can be super cheap eats or fancy top dollar establishments.  I'm thinking all those poor college kids have grown up but not lost their taste for spicy brothy noodle soup...and why would they?

Jack up your ramen game and turn a $1 package of noodle into a hearty, healthy, solid meal with a few add-ins:


Rotisserie chicken
Stir-fry veggies
Leftover pork, beef, or shrimp
Bacon strips
Eggs, any style - hard boiled, fried, scrambled, poached.  Eggs were born for ramen.
Add a splash of coconut milk or heavy cream to the broth for a decadent twist
Garnish with chopped green onion, toasted sesame seeds, or crushed peanuts to make it all fancy


Most anything you have leftover in the fridge will work to enhance your ramen - yes, even meatloaf.  Mix and match, just like they do at the noodle houses.     

Because I am a ramen enthusiast and serious about it, I get packages of Shin Ramyun at the Asian grocer (Shoppers carries it, too).  It's about a buck more expensive than Nissin or Maruchan, but worth it because the noodles are better quality and the seasonings are tastier.  I was introduced to this brand by a Korean friend, who used to have her parents send her cases of it before it became readily available in the US.

I understand you're a grown up now and may think cheap drunk food is beneath you, but let me assure you that ramen has made a spectacular comeback.  So dig out your chopsticks and revisit this retro comfort food!


----------



## DeeJay

You've seen them dozens of times in the grocery produce section - *spiralized veggie "noodles"*.  They're made from sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, and the original zucchini zoodle.  They look tasty, fun, and healthy....but what do you really do with them?

First, let me tell you what you *don't* do, and that's pretend that they are pasta.  *They are not pasta.*  At all.  They are vegetables, and therefore contain a large amount of water.  This means that your zoodle lasagna will be watery and unpleasant, and your family or dinner guests will have to lie when they compliment you on your cooking.    Please don't make your family and friends lie.  I'm not a fan of pretending a legit food is something else anyway.  Tofu, for example:  tofu stands on its own and can be used in many delicious dishes; you set yourself up for failure and disappointment when you try to turn it into chicken or beef.

So let's embrace the veggie "noodle" on its own merits and work with it accordingly.

Because zoodles are a vegetable (not a pasta, now) they are a natural for salads and make a fun, colorful addition.  Toss a handful into your regular salad mix or scatter them on top for pretty presentation.  Mix and match, because vegetables all love each other and want to be together.

Zoodle beds are another favorite with steaks or other grilled/pan-fried meats.  Zoodles are so thin that they don't really need cooking, so all you do is make a zoodle bed on each plate, then top with a portion of the meat.  The heat from the meat will wilt the zoodles a bit, but keep them firm.  Then if you have a pan sauce, just pour it over the top.  Zucchini works, of course, but beets are my bed of choice.

But if you must cook your zoodles:

Roasting zoodles works because it takes some of the moisture out of them.  The key is to hit them with high heat for a short amount of time.  Turn your oven to 450*, toss your veggie noodles with olive oil, then spread them out in a baking sheet.  Roast for about 5 minutes, toss them, and give them another 5 minutes.  Adjust time depending on how soft you want your zoodles.  Serve as is, or hit them with a dusting of Parmesan cheese.  Sweet potatoes in particular work with this method.

Zoodles also stir-fry nicely - vegetables, remember?  Heat your pan on medium-high with a little oil - let it get nice and hot - and throw in your zoodles, tossing/stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.  Then you can toss them with your favorite sauce/marinade.  Make sure you keep it light, though; bottled Caesar dressing is one of my favorites.  OR toss the hot zoodles with shredded cheese, which will melt and get comforty, because....cheesy veggies, ya'll.

Zoodles do well with pesto, Asian sauces, and most other light sauces/condiments.  If you're going to leave your zoodles raw, toss them with your preferred condiment/sauce and let them marinate for a few minutes.  If you're going to cook them, do so in their naked state and add your sauce afterward to reduce the watery.  Another tip for keeping the water at bay is don't salt the raw veggies - ever!  Salt causes vegetables to release moisture and you'll end up with a soggy blob of mess.

Certainly you can spiralize your own veggies, but let me tell you it is a raving pain in the you-know.  Now that so many supermarkets are carrying pre-spiralized veggies, there's no real need to delve into the frustration and mess of doing it yourself.  I mean, how much time do you really want to spend preparing vegetables?


----------



## DeeJay

Mug foods are becoming so popular.  What's easier than throwing some ingredients in a mug and microwaving it, ending up with a perfect single serving for that quick lunch or snack?  This *Mug Mac and Cheese* comes out creamy and comforting - no lie - and it's ready in under 10 minutes with no pots to clean.

1/3 cup elbow macaroni
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese  (Jack works too, and so does Colby)
Splash of milk or cream


Combine your macaroni and water in a large microwave safe mug or bowl.
Microwave on high for 4 minutes; stir; give it another 2 minutes' stir; then one more minute, checking the consistency and adding more water if needed.
Do not drain!
Add your cheese and mix well; microwave for 30-45 seconds to melt the cheese.
Add a splash of milk or cream and blend well.
BOOM!  Mac and cheese!

*Some science stuff:*
Starch and fat bind with each other to create a smooth emulsion.  Without some starch (your pasta water, for example) the fat (cheese) will be stringy and end up as a blob of sorrow.  Adding the milk breaks down the starch and creates a creamy consistency.  So if you haven't had a lot of luck with cheesy pasta in the past - it was gritty or globby - this is why.  This is also the concept behind the *Cacio é Pepe recipe* from last week.  Starch + fat = success.


----------



## DeeJay

I love it when something I've always been obsessed with becomes trendy.  The newest "before it was cool" is *Tater Tots*.  Who doesn't love tater tots?  And yet they've played second fiddle to the French fry their whole life until recently.  Why??

Everybody's mother kept a bag of frozen tots for a quick kid-friendly side dish (to go with your fish sticks and pigs in a blanket), yet restaurants are only now beginning to recognize the tot as a legit comfort side and it's dawning on them what Sonic knew all along:  we want tots.  Here are two easy ways to step up your tot game and turn them into something even better (if that's even possible).

*Waffle Tots*

Thaw a bag of tots.
Heat your waffle iron and spray both sides with Pam.
Place thawed tots on the iron to cover the surface.  A Belgian waffler will take about 20 tots.
Close and cook like you would waffles.

Out comes a crispy wonderful tot hash brown that can accompany pretty much anything.  Breakfast, of course, but waffle tots can be used as a base for a number of meals where you would normally use toast, such as chicken a la king or open faced sandwiches.  Avocado toast?  Please.  Try it on a waffle tot.  You're welcome.

*Tot Pizza*

1 large package of tots
Pizza sauce
Shredded Italian blend cheese
Toppings of your choice

Heat oven to 450*.  
Place tots in a lightly oiled 15x10 baking pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Smash tots so that they cover the bottom of the pan.
Bake for another 15 minutes, until crispy.
Top with sauce, cheese, and whatever else, then bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.

There's a lot you can do with tots that our mothers never thought of.  How do you get kids to eat tuna casserole?  Top it with tots instead of crackers or bread crumbs. Mac and cheese topped with tots?  Yes please!   (Don't even act like you wouldn't devour that.)  Tots have traditionally been a bit player - who knew they could star in their own show?

PS:  tots are way more delicious when pan fried in a bit of oil rather than oven baked.


----------



## DeeJay

Because I'm in the Keys, everything is about the Key lime.  Pie, of course, but Key lime cocktails, marinades, soaps, and (I'm not making this up) cigars.

Key limes are smaller and more bitter than their Persian counterparts (those are the limes you usually buy at the grocery store, the Persian ones).  They tork your jaws, as my mother would say, giving you that twang in the space between your jaw and your earlobe.  They're not only tiny, they're seedy, which makes juicing them a nightmare and there is no recipe worth that.  Fortunately, Nellie & Joe's makes bottled Key lime juice, available at most grocery stores.  So set your Spotify to play island music and make a classic *Key Lime Pie* tonight!

1 9-inch graham cracker crust
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice
3 egg yolks


Mix milk, juice, and yolks together until creamy and well blended.
Pour into pie crust
Bake at 350* for 15 minutes
Cool on the countertop, then refrigerate for at least an hour before serving
Whipped cream is the traditional garnish, but grated dark chocolate is a nice touch

This recipe is also on the back of the Nellie & Joe's bottle and one could say that it's "their" recipe, but that's like saying someone owns a recipe for hard-boiled eggs.  The above is how you make a true Key lime pie, and that's that.


----------



## DeeJay

I remember the first time I ever had *Carnitas*.  It was in a Mexican restaurant in Round Rock, TX; until that point I didn't even know you could get real meat in a Mexican place.  Carnitas is pork butt or shoulder, simmered in a citrusy broth, then sizzled until the fat is crispy.  You can turn it into soft tacos or eat it straight with beans and rice, use it in stews or make hash.  It makes a lot so get creative!

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 to 3 limes)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste


Place the cubed pork in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. 
Add the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, salt and enough water to just cover the meat. 
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. 
Simmer uncovered for two hours without stirring the meat.  Just leave it go, don't touch it.
After two hours, crank the heat to medium-high and give it a stir.
Continue to cook for about 45 minutesor until all of the liquid has evaporated, turning frequently. 
Once the liquid is gone, let it sizzle in its fat until crispy, gently turning the meat.  Get under it because it's going to want to fall apart at this point.
TIP:  Once your carnitas are done, you'll be left with a large crust of deliciousness on the bottom of your pot.  Transfer the meat to a large bowl and hit the hot pot with a splash of water, then scrape the bottom with a spatula.  This will loosen up the crust and deglaze your pan.  Pour the loosened crust over the top of your meat and toss to combine.

My favorite way to eat carnitas - besides picking chunks right out of the pot with my fingers - is to make soft tacos.  Flour tortillas, shredded cabbage (find it in the packaged salad section of the grocery disguised as coleslaw mix), and a touch of Hidden Valley Southwest Ranch dressing.    Making carnitas is easy, although time-consuming.  Perfect for a dinner party because everybody loves it and will think you're a genius for serving it.


----------



## DeeJay

Here's a yummy snack that I made up on the fly years ago and everyone loved it so much that it became a regular thing.  I should have a fancy name for it, but my friends all just call it *Crack* because of its addiction probability.

There is a basic recipe for Crack but I don't think I've ever made it the same way twice because it's very versatile.

2 lbs of mixed nuts, your choice.  I like pecans, walnuts, cashews, and almonds.  Most grocery stores have bags or bins of nuts so you can get exactly what you like.
3 Tbsp Honey
3 Tbsp Maple syrup
Salt
Pepper - again, your choice.  I usually use chipotle or smoked paprika


Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet (one with sides) and toast at 400* for 10 minutes or so, being careful you don't let them burn.
Toss the nuts and give them another 5 minutes.
Transfer toasted nuts to a large bowl and add your honey and syrup; mix well.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Spread the nut mixture out on the baking sheet and sprinkle with pepper and salt.
Lower the oven temp to 200 and bake for 20 minutes or so, until the mixture sets up firm.
Let the Crack cool on a counter all the way - don't try to sneak a bite or you'll burn yourself but good.
Once your Crack is cool, it should be sticky, but not too gooey.  You can then hit it with more salt if you want for that salty/sweet that I love so very very much.

Variations include, but are not limited to, adding seeds, dried fruit, chocolate chips, cinnamon, or even cereal.  The only hard and fast rule is to TOAST THE NUTS!  This brings out their flavor and makes them crisper, which complements the soft sweet coating.  You can even skip the salt and pepper if you want, but I think omitting the salt makes it taste a little flat.

Store the Crack in an airtight container, refrigeration isn't necessary.  I don't know how long it keeps because it always gets devoured in a couple of days.


----------



## DeeJay

Do you know what a *Dolsot* is?  If you are Korean or have a Korean friend, you certainly do.  It's a stone bowl that is heated on the stove and used to create my favorite dish, bibimbap.  Bibimbap is a bed of rice that's been sizzled crispy in a dolsot bowl, then garnished with meat, assorted veggies, sauce, and an over easy egg.  Then you use your chopsticks to stir everything together, ending up with a lovely Korean mixed rice dish that is hearty and savory, perfect for a cold evening.   Or any evening.  I told you, this is my favorite dish.

I first got my dolsot specifically to make bibimbap, but I found that it has many uses.  It's not just a bowl, it's also a cooking vessel, so you can fill it with pretty much anything you like and make what I call Bowls of Love.  

For breakfast:
Sizzle shredded potatoes or tater tots (!) in your dolsot until crispy, then top with bacon and fried egg.
Use oatmeal as your base - crispy oatmeal is the best thing you ever ate, I promise!  Top with fruit, brown sugar, or go savory with an egg, diced ham, and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar.

Low carb?
Skip the rice and stir fry sliced veggies in sesame oil, then top with an egg or sliced meat.

Comfort dinner:
Line the bottom of your dolsot with leftover mashed potatoes until crispy on the bottom, then fill with your choice of cooked meats and vegetables.

Because the dolsot is sturdy and most are microwave safe, you can cook pretty much anything in it.  I make ramen in the microwave by placing the noodles and seasonings in the bowl, pour 2 cups of water over it, cover with the dolsot trivet, and microwave for 8 minutes.  In fact, the dolsot is the perfect microwave cooker for pretty much anything, including heating up leftovers, and cleanup is a snap because food doesn't stick to it.  But the dolsot is intended for stovetop cooking and that's how you'll get your crispy starch base.

Most dolsots come with a heat resistant trivet for serving - place the bowl on top of the trivet so you don't burn your table with the super hot bowl.  You can find them on Amazon, or locally at most Asian grocers (the yellow building grocer on Rt 5 and Flat Iron Rd carries them) for $15-20 each.  They make an excellent gift when combined with a Korean cookbook  (let me recommend _The Korean Table_ by Taekyung Chung, which is filled with all the classic Korean recipes and intended for beginners).

Here's a recipe for "classic" bibimbap - I say "classic" but bibimbap can be anything you want it to be and there's no hard and fast recipe.  Whatever you have on hand will usually suffice.

Cooked rice
Cooked beef, pork or chicken, sliced thin or minced
Julienned carrots, steamed for 1 minute in the microwave
Thin sliced zucchini, steamed same as the carrots
Wilted spinach
Your favorite Asian sauce - spicy or not, make it yourself or get it at the grocery
1 egg, over easy


Heat your dolsot on meduim with a swirl of sesame oil.
Put a serving of rice, about cup, in the hot bowl, spreading it out over the bottom
Cook rice for several minutes until it gets crispy on the bottom.
Remove from heat and place on trivet.
Arrange meat and vegetables on top of the rice.
Top with fried egg.
Drizzle with sauce.
Serve.


When you mix your bibimbap together, the heat will finish cooking the egg and the yolk will combine with your sauce to make a lovely creamy binder (so you can eat it with chopsticks even if you're klutzy like me).  The traditional drizzle sauce is made with gochujang, or red chili paste, which is spicy, sweet, and savory at the same time.

Bibimbap sauce recipe

1/2 cup gochujang (red pepper paste) - find it at Giant, Shoppers, or the Asian grocery
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds  (Toast your sesame seeds!  It only takes a second!)

Whisk everything together.  Stores in an airtight container for about a month.  Use it on everything you eat, or at least brush it on grilled chicken wings.


----------



## DeeJay

Yesterday's post made me obsessed with Korean cuisine.  I love Asian in all its forms, but the spicy, light, savory, comforty aspect of Korean dishes in particular speak to me.  The Koreans do many things right when it comes to food, but one of their best tricks is using *cornstarch* in addition to (or instead of) flour when *frying chicken*.

You may have noticed that Korean fried wings aren't very brown - the crust is paler, yet crispy and way less greasy than their KFC counterparts.  This is because of cornstarch.  It's also why the chicken for Sweet and Sour on the Chinese buffet hangs in there and doesn't dissolve into a goobery mess as it sits in the warming pans.

*Science stuff:*
Flour is about 25% protein, which forms gluten and provides structure to bread, batters, etc.  Cornstarch is a pure starch; gluten-free and much lighter than flour.  

*Let's get real:*  what's the best part of fried chicken?  That's right, the crusty skin.  In fact, you could just eat the crust and throw the chicken part away.  That's because of flour's heartiness and substance, via the protein.  Cornstarch, on the other hand, lets the chicken be the star.  Cornstarch also plays well with others better than flour.  When making gravy, for example, sprinkling flour on your brothy pan drippings will result in icky little flour BBs; to use flour as a thickener you have to first dissolve it in hot liquid, then carefully whisk it into your gravy base.  No so with cornstarch; cornstarch is more agreeable and will happily dissolve right into whatever you sprinkle it on.  Whisky whisky for about a minute and boom - gravy.  And not murky gravy, either; cornstarch gives you a silky gravy with a rich color.

Cornstarch is also what you should be tossing your chicken in no matter what type of breading you go with.  This will act as a liaison between the chicken skin and the batter, which otherwise don't like each other very much but they'll come to the party and act civilized because they both like cornstarch.

There are a zillion fried chicken recipes out there and many of them act like you have the rest of your life to fool with it.  Brine the chicken, dry the chicken, add vodka, blah blah blah....bah to that.  Too much going on.  Turning out stellar fried chicken is just this simple:


First, use wings or boneless chunks.  They're easier to work with, they cook quickly, and you get better crust to meat ratio.
Toss the chicken in a ziploc bag filled with cornstarch seasoned with salt and pepper, working in small batches to make sure each piece is well coated.
Shake off the excess and set it aside on a baking sheet.
If you want more crust - who doesn't? - simply toss them in cornstarch a second time.
Place your chicken pieces into a large frying pan with about 2" of HOT oil; remember not to crowd the pan.  Your chickie needs its space.
(Psst, your oil is hot enough when you sprinkle a bit of cornstarch on top and it sizzles enthusiastically)
Fry for two or three minutes; turn; and fry for two minutes on the other side.


Right about now you're asking, "Wait...where's the seasoning??"  Well, flavor can certainly be added to the pre-coat - seasoned salt being a great choice.  But keeping with our Asian theme, we're going to sauce the chicken after frying instead.  *And it's just this simple:
*

After frying your chicken, set it to rest and drain on a baking rack over a cookie sheet so you don't mess up your counter.  
Give the chicken 5 minutes to settle down, then toss it in a bowl of your favorite sauce.  
This sauce might be sweet and sour; it might be Buffalo wing sauce; it can be whatever you want.  Garlic butter laced with parmesan cheese?  Heck yeah!


Because of the cornstarch, your chicken crust will stay crispy even after you sauce it, which will amaze your friends and family and make you a *Super Bowl snack hero* with very little effort.


----------



## DeeJay

The most impressive and amazingly decadent cake I've ever seen is *Mille-Feuille* (say "meel foe'-ee" accent on the foe, translates to "thousand leaf" in French).  My use-to-be neighbor across the street makes it only once a year for her husband's birthday, which is a shame because it's almost as easy as box-mix - and certainly easier than frosting a layer cake -  yet looks quite glamorous.  Basically, it's layers of puff pastry, custard, and sliced strawberries.  That's it.  Three simple components, and it'll take you about an hour to put together.

I'm not sure why more people don't keep frozen puff pastry as a go-to.  There are about a million things you can do with it, from main dishes to desserts, that turns mundane recipes into something special and fancy.  You can find it at pretty much any grocery store and it's not expensive.  From fruit turnovers to savory tarts to topping a pot pie, puff pastry should definitely be a weapon in your culinary arsenal.

*Alright, on to the mille-feuille:*

1 package of frozen puff pastry (should be two sheets, each 10"x15" or so)
2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
12 or so strawberries, hulled and sliced fairly thin

*First make your custard:*


In a microwave safe bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar together until well blended.
Add the cornstarch and whisk well to completely blend.
Add the milk, salt, and vanilla and whisk whisk whisk.
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.  So 30 seconds, stir, eight times.
Your custard should now be thickened, with a consistency like instant pudding.
Press plastic wrap down onto the surface of the custard (to keep if from getting that nasty film on top) and put it in the fridge to chill completely.


*Now make your puff pastry:*


Preheat your oven to 400*.
Lay out the pastry sheets on parchment covered baking sheets.
Cut each sheet into thirds lengthwise so you end up with six equal skinny rectangles.
Prick each pastry sheet well.
Sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar over the top of each piece - not too much, just a sprinkle.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.


*Time management:*

Make your custard
Make your puff pastry
Clean and slice the strawberries while the puff pastry is baking


*Assemble:*


Place your custard in a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip.  (Don't have a pastry bag?  Me either.  In that case, place the custard in a large Ziploc and snip off one corner for piping.)
On a large rectangular plate or baking sheet, place two pastry pieces side by side but not touching.  Each will be an individual mille-feuille log.
Layer thus:

Pastry sheet
Custard
Strawberries
Custard
Pastry sheet
Custard
Strawberries
Custard
Pastry sheet


Dust top with powdered sugar and garnish with leftover strawberry slices.
Slice into portions with a serrated knife and serve immediately.

Now let's pretend you REALLY don't like to cook or are seriously all thumbs.  Well, you can still turn out an impressive *mock mille-feuille*!


Make vanilla pudding according to the package instructions.
Bake your puff pastry as above.
Slice the strawberries.
In a rectangular baking pan, layer as above.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

With this method everything kind of melds together and creates a much softer cake.  Different, but still delicious.

*Need it to be even easier?*  Substitute graham crackers for the puff pastry.  You'll end up with something appropriate for a Nebraska pot luck, but still pretty darn good.


----------



## DeeJay

*Poor pasta.*  Remember when it was a dinner staple?  A hearty comfort food in its many forms - mac and cheese, chicken noodle soup, spaghetti, goulash, fettuccini alfredo.  Then somebody decided it was bad for you and started a movement against it, and now it sits on the grocery store shelves like an abandoned puppy at a shelter.  You are encouraged to make "noodles" out of vegetables (see my zoodle post above) or, the biggest insult to pasta ever, soy.  

Have you ever tried the soy noodles, or "shiritaki" as they are called to make them sound less unappetizing?  The first thing that hits you when you open the package is the smell.  Real pasta doesn't smell like that.  Nothing you eat should ever smell like that.  Pasta is like, "THAT is what you left me for???"

You're trying to lose weight.  You're trying to eat healthy.  I get it.  But if you torture yourself with smelly pseudonoodles (pseudles) you are not going to stick with your eating plan.  At some point you won't be able to face the prospect of  another sad meal and you'll dive face first into a pot of mac and cheese.  So let's bring pasta back to its rightful place at the dinner table, shall we?  

The one single thing that keeps folks from enjoying pasta more often is that you have to cook the noodles separately, then dump them in with everything else.  Or do you?  (The answer is no, you don't.)  On the back of the Mueller's lasagna box is a recipe for no-boil lasagna.  You add extra water to your sauce and the noodles cook right in the oven along with everything else, no fuss.  This concept can be transferred to pretty much any other pasta dish.  Because you're keeping the starch and not draining it off down the sink, you'll end up with a heartier creamier result, which is a good thing if you like hearty and creamy (and who doesn't?).  

*When doing a dump pasta dish, simply add 22 ounces of water for each pound of pasta. * Replace half of the water for red wine and now you have drunken noodles.  Yes, it's that simple.  I'm not lying to you, try it and see for yourself.  That will get you a medium texture pasta, somewhere between true al dente and American mushy.  If you like softer pasta, increase the water to 24 ounces per pound of pasta.

For a baked dish, combine the water with your sauce and pour it over the raw noodles.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes; stir; remove the foil; then give it another 10 minutes (this is where you add the cheese to melt on top).

For a skillet dish, it's the same concept:  pasta will absorb about 22 ounces per pound, so that's how much you use.  Either add the water to your sauce and cook the whole thing, or make the pasta first, then toss it with the remaining ingredients.  Your pasta will be nice and sticky, which means your sauce will stick to it and not end up in a leftover puddle on your plate.  *Try tossing your skillet spaghetti with ham, peas, a hit of butter, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  Go low cal with a simple tomato sauce, which turns into a decadent creamy treat (without cream!) when you cook the pasta right in the sauce.*

It's a myth that pasta is your enemy, unless you have celiac or a true medical restriction.  Pasta is nutritious and low calorie, and the favored pre-game fuel of so many professional athletes I can't even name them all on here.  Folks, these are professional athletes who have nutritionists charged with keeping them operating at peak performance.  And they eat pasta!  

It's time to get reacquainted with pasta.  Put aside your differences - do you even remember what caused the falling out? - and embrace your old friend again.


----------



## DeeJay

As most of you know, I've been living in a motorhome and hotel rooms for the past two years, traveling across the country and seeing America the Beautiful.  One of my favorite aspects of this journey has been...eating.  From Hot Chicken in Nashville to tamales in Vicksburg to lobster rolls in New England to enormous beef ribs in Lockhart, TX, if it sounded interesting I was an enthusiastic sampler.  Unfortunately, eating around the country has its drawbacks - namely that you gain weight at an alarming rate.

Now, I'm not gonna lie - it was fun (and delicious) getting fat.  But at some point you gotta pay the piper for your indulgence and start preparing your own meals again.

The motorhome has not only a kitchen inside, but we have the setup for an outdoor kitchen as well.  This sounds good in theory, but cooking outside or in a tiny galley kitchen isn't nearly as enjoyable as I had originally thought it would be.  And while a few of the hotels and cottages we've stayed in have had fully equipped kitchens, most have included only a mini-fridge and a microwave.

It never occurred to me, back in my Top Chef wannabe days, that you could feed yourself quite well with only a microwave for cooking.  And while the microwave isn't the only appliance you'll ever need if you're serious about cooking, you can still turn out great chow if that's all you have.  If you are on extended travel, or are a college student living in a dorm, or are limited by space for any reason, here are a few of my go-tos that will keep you well fed and your waistline trim.

*First, your supplies:*
Non-stick cooking spray  (or "Pam" as I will refer to it from here on out)
Plasticware - forks, spoons, and knives
Paper bowls
Paper plates
Paper towels
(I can feel the environmentalists heating up right now)

If you're in a position to do dishes, by all means, use regular tableware instead of disposable; a microwave safe mug will easily take the place of your paper bowl.  If you can do laundry, swap the paper towels for cloth.  The cooking spray is non-negotiable.

Now you're ready to make food!

*Eggs:*  I love eggs.  When it says on the menu, "Eggs, any style" I say, "Yes, please!"  Most of us know how to scramble a couple of cackleberries in the microwave - Pam your bowl, whip up two eggs with a bit of cream (or no cream), add bacon bits or whatever you like in your scrambled eggs, microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring each time, until done to desired consistency, about a minute and a half - but you may not know that you can turn out *"fried" dippy eggs*, over-medium, in the microwave as well.  

Pam your bowl
Crack two eggs into the bowl
Stab each egg in the yolk twice with a fork
Cover with a paper towel
Microwave for 1 minute
Let sit in microwave for 30 seconds to set up
*Poached eggs?*  Simple:

Crack one egg into your bowl or mug
Cover with about 1/3 cup of water
Cover the bowl with a paper towel
Microwave for 45 seconds
Give it another 10 seconds if it's still too runny
*Hard boiled eggs?*

Ugh, don't do it.  I don't care what the internet sites say, they never turn out right and they are way more hassle than they're worth.  If you MUST! have hard boiled eggs, get an InstantPot.  Takes up very little space, is extremely versatile, and makes hard boiled eggs better than anything you've ever seen.  I'll do a feature on the InstantPot at a later date.  The alternative is to get a bag of Eggland's Best hard boiled eggs at the grocery store.  They're pretty good.

*Want dessert?* 

Duncan Hines has ready-made mug cake mixes in several different varieties.  Strawberry, S'more (!), blueberry muffin, and more.  You can make a homemade mug cake, but if you had the space for all those ingredients you probably have more than a microwave to work with.

Please tell me you know how to *bake a potato* in the microwave.
No?
Okay, here's how:

Wash your potato - sweet or regular - and pierce it 5 or 6 times with a fork
Place on a paper towel in the microwave
Cook for 5 minutes
Turn over and cook another 5 minutes

Did you know you can also make *pancakes *in the microwave?

It's the same concept as the mug cake.  Pour 1/3 cup of pancake batter into a Pamed bowl; microwave uncovered for 60 seconds.

*Quesadillas*, baby!

Place a tortilla on a plate (I like Mission's Carb Balance tortillas)
Sprinkle shredded cheese on half of the tortilla
Add bacon bits, ham, or other fillings if you want
Fold the tortilla in half and spray the top lightly with Pam
Microwave for 1 minute
Flip the quesadilla over and lightly Pam the top
Microwave for 45 seconds

The grocery store has a number of pre-washed microwave in bag vegetable combinations, but what happens if you run across some beautiful fresh *corn on the cob*?

Place the ear of corn as is in the microwave
Cook for 4 minutes
Cut the bottom (stem part) off and squeeze the corn right out of its husk with very little silk attached

*My ultimate go-to favorite microwave meal*:

Microwave a package of Seeds of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice according to directions
Microwave a package of fresh broccoli/cauliflower/carrot medley.
Add deli ham chunks or rotisserie chicken
Combine them in your bowl
BOOM!  Healthy and delicious!

With the enormous selection of pre-package microwave rice, pasta, and fresh vegetables available, combined with a rotisserie chicken from your store's deli or ready-cooked meatballs from the freezer section, there really is no excuse to eat poorly just because you don't have a proper kitchen.  A microwave is a modern miracle, more than just a popcorn popper and leftover warmer upper, and can turn out nutritious delicious meals in a snap.


----------



## DeeJay

Super Bowl snack hacks!

You want to take something amazing to that Super Bowl party, but you're lazy and don't want to go to a lot of trouble.  I get it.  Honestly, most of the dishes people bring to a potluck don't get eaten anyway, so why knock yourself out making something that's just going to sit and congeal?  It's disheartening.  TRUTH:  it's rare that party guests will be interested in fancy snacks.  I've knocked myself out making homemade warm blue cheese and bacon dip drizzled with honey and served with fresh toasted crostini, only to have guests snarf the Doritos and onion dip.  Plus anything meant to be eaten hot will get cold and gnarly by the time anyone gets to it.

So here are a few throw-togethers that I promise you will get devoured.  Not fancy, but definitely fan favorites:

*Chicken wings:*
Get a bucket of wings at Shoppers or Giant, then toast them up on a grill.  This makes them super crunchy and really takes them up several notches, plus the crust will hang in there instead of getting soggy, so they can be eaten at room temp.

*Warm hummus:*
Make your hummus homemade or get a couple of tubs of Sabra, any flavor but put me down for roasted red pepper variety.  Dump it into a small crockpot and warm it up, stirring occasionally so it doesn't get that icky crust.  Serve with Tostitos, pita chips, or fresh cut veggies.  Warm hummus is truly amazing and has always been a big hit.

*Baby Pizzas:*
Take large flour tortillas and with a biscuit cutter or glass, cut out 3 or 4 rounds from each tortilla.  Press them into a Pamed muffin pan, then top with a tablespoon of pizza sauce, a sprinkle of mozzarella, and a few mini pepperonis.  Bake at 450* for 10 minutes.  These aren't even best served hot because you'll burn your mouth; much better after they've been sitting awhile.

*Yes, Baby Pigs in a Blanket:*
If you will have access to the oven at the party, make them there or at least warm them up there.  They're okay room temp but better hot.  Take crescent roll whomp dough and cut each roll into small triangles, then roll them around Little Smokies.  Bake at 425* for 15 minutes.  For extra credit you can sprinkle a little shredded cheddar cheese on the dough before you roll up the pigs.

*Apple Pie Pigs:*
Take crescent roll dough and separate the triangles.  Brush each triangle with melted butter, then sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar and apple pie spice.  Peel and core an apple and slice it into 8 segments.  Roll each segment in a dough triangle and bake for 10 minutes at 400*.   This makes 8 apple pigs, so adjust according to your head count.

*Meatballs:*
Place thawed frozen or homemade cooked meatballs in a crockpot.  Cover with jarred or homemade marinara sauce.  Let it get hot, stirring occasionally.  Serve with Kings mini Hawaiian rolls and provolone slices so people can make sliders.

*Popcorn:*
No kidding, nobody ever takes popcorn to a party and it always gets munched down.  It's a nice retro snack that reminds you of childhood.  But please...pretty please...with sugar on top...do it the real way and ditch the microwave bags of chemicals.  If you were a deprived child and never learned how to make stovetop popcorn, check out my review of the Salbee Microwave Popcorn Popper.  Top with REAL!!! butter and salt or parmesan cheese; OR make your own kettle corn by sprinkling a bit of sugar over the corn before you pop it, then tossing with butter and salt.

And last but not least:

*Deviled Eggs:*
What kind of horrible person doesn't love deviled eggs??  Add bacon to your filling FTW and sprinkle with a bit of finely chopped fresh parsley to make them look fancy.


----------



## DeeJay

Well, now that the Eagles have their ring we can focus on Valentine's Day.  I'm not a huge Valentine's Day person, I'm more interested in the day after Valentine's, aka "Half-Price Candy Day".  But if you want to do something special for your sweetie, even if your sweetie is yourself, put together super easy *Beef Wellington*.  Fancy!

1/4 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped fine
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp thyme
1 package frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
4 beef tenderloin steaks
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 435*
In a medium pan, cook mushrooms, garlic and thyme 5 mins or so, until the mushrooms are soft
Cut each thawed pastry sheet in half so you have 4 semi-squares
In the center of each pastry section, spoon 1/4 of the mushroom mixture and spread it out to roughly the size of your steaks
Season steaks with salt and pepper, and place each one on top of a mushroomed pastry section
Pull the four corners of the pastry up over the steak, overlapping a bit, and pinch together to seal
Flip the mini Wellingtons over and place on a Pamed baking sheet
Bake at 425* for 20 minutes for med-rare, and 25 minutes for medium
Let set for 10 minutes before serving


That's it!  Told you it was easy.  Serve with some nice fresh green beans or asparagus (no cans, I'm asking you nicely) and a bold red wine.


----------



## DeeJay

Super easy way to *stuff chicken breasts* - no pounding, no mess.  I don't know about you, but pounding out chicken breasts grosses me out.  That disgusting mallet with raw chicken bits in the crevices....ew...and a rolling pin requires a lot of elbow grease that I'm too lazy to fool with.  Here's a better way:


Take your chicken breast and slice a deep pocket in the thick end with a sharp paring knife, making sure it goes all the way down the breast.
Take a slice of whatever cheese you want to use - Swiss and Provolone are good choices - and lay your filling down the middle of it.
Roll the cheese and filling into a tube, then push it all the way into your chicken pocket.
Pinch the pocket opening closed; if cheese is sticking out, pull some chicken over to cover it.
Smooth and tuck the chicken breast so that it forms a nice roll completely covering the filling.
Wrap each breast tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.  This glues the chicken together so your cheese doesn't come oozing out during cooking.

Then you can bake or fry the breasts as you wish, OR you can freeze them for later.

*Suggested fillings:*

Swiss cheese and ham (of course)
Swiss cheese with chopped mushrooms
Provolone with feta, black olives, and sundried tomatoes
Provolone with pesto
Provolone with a bit of pizza sauce and sliced pepperoni
Cheddar slice with ham and chopped broccoli
Cheddar slice with chopped apples and caramelized onions

You can literally stuff the breasts with whatever sounds good to you.  Just choose a sliced cheese that complements it and roll it on up!


----------



## DeeJay

Doesn't everyone love *fresh baked bread*?  That is the best smell in the world, and takes me immediately back to childhood.  My Aunt Betty never bought bread at the store, to my knowledge; she baked a couple times a week and always had homemade bread, cookies, and cakes on hand.  Her house always smelled like baked goods and it was amazing.

What?  You don't have time (or inclination) to bake a couple times a week??

Yeah, me either.

But you can still have homemade bread pretty much whenever you want it (always?) with this super easy method.  The secret is to make a large batch of dough, then keep it in the refrigerator and take out portions of the dough to make bread as needed.  The bread it makes is hearty, with a chewy crust - true artisan bread like you find at a good bakery, not like the pasty Wonder you get at the grocery store.  It's shaped as a boule instead of a loaf, and will wow your family and friends.

*Ingredients
*3 cups lukewarm water
2 packets dry yeast
1 1⁄2 tbsp salt
6 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted, not packed down, just scoop it up and level it off


Your water should be slightly warm to the touch.  Stick your finger in and if it feels a little warm, it's perfect.
In a LARGE! bowl, add the yeast to the water and stir well.
Add the salt and stir.
Add the flour all at once - no kidding - and mix with a wooden spoon.
Your dough is ready when there are no dry lumps.  The dough will be loose and a bit wet.
Cover with a clean towel and let it rise on the counter for 2 hours.  You'll see it rise a bit, then collapse.  If you have things to do, it can sit out all day and be fine.

Hey!  Now you have bread dough!  Enough for four loaves!  Give it a light fold, and put it in the fridge for at least two hours to make it easier to work with.  Keeps for about two weeks.

*Baking Day!*


Heat your oven to 450*
Cut off a portion of your dough - one-fourth of it is a good size boule.
With floured hands on a floured surface (I use a cutting board so I don't hose up my counter tops), shape the dough into a large ball like this:
Stretch the dough out slightly and fold the ends underneath, turning as you go to form a nice round ball with a smooth surface.  The underneath will be bunchy but that will work itself out during the resting and baking.


Cover your dough ball with a clean towel and let it rest for about 40 minutes.  Your dough will rise only slightly so don't look for doubling or anything like that.
Place your dough ball on a lightly floured pizza stone or baking sheet.
Dust your ball with a bit of flour, and make four slashes in the top with a serrated knife.  They can be diagonals or criss-cross, doesn't matter.
DO NOT OMIT THIS STEP!  Place an oven-proof pan filled with water on the shelf below the one your bread will go on.  Bread should be baked on the middle shelf, so place your water pan on the shelf below it.
Bake your bread for 30 minutes, until the top is nice and brown.
Smell that?  Oh man....

The rest of your dough will keep for about two weeks.  It will start to develop a sourdough flavor and texture within a couple of days, making your finished boule even better.

*Science stuff:*


Placing the water below the bread while baking releases steam, which keeps things nice and moist.
What?  No kneading??  Nope!  Your yeast friends will do that for you.  Kneading forms gluten, which makes your bread light in texture.  The active yeast will bubble and ferment, accomplishing the same goal without kneading.  Your bread won't be light and fluffy without kneading, but artisan bread is supposed to have a denser texture.

I learned this method from the book _Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day_, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François.  In it, you'll find a zillion recipes that all start with the same no-knead fridge dough concept.


----------



## DeeJay

Here are two down and dirty Valentine's Day seafood dishes to make for your sweetie - one light, one rich.  You don't have to tell them how easy it was.

*Pan Seared Scallops*

1 lb scallops - the large ones, not the small ones
4 tbsp butter (half a stick)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lemon, juiced
fresh parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste


Melt 2 tbsp butter in a pan over med-high heat.
Rinse your scallops and pat them dry with paper towel.  The dry surface is what gives you your nice brown sear.
When your butter starts to sizzle, add the scallops.
Cook without moving for 2 minutes; turn, and cook 2 minutes on the other side.  Cook in batches so you don't crowd the pan.
Remove your scallops to a plate.
Add the other 2 tbsp of butter to your pan and let it melt.
Add your minced garlic and saute, stirring, for about a minute.
Add your lemon juice - fresh lemon juice really does make a difference, so use it instead of bottled if you can.
Cook, stirring - make sure you get the bottom of the pan and all those lovely bits - for about a minute, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve your scallops by arranging them over cooked linguini or rice, then drizzle with the butter pan sauce.  Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley for a pretty presentation.

*New England Lobster Pie*

2 cooked lobsters
5 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dry parsley
1/2 tsp salt


Get the meat out of your lobsters, break it into chunks, and line the bottom of a medium baking dish with it.  You want it to be generous, a luxurious bed of lobster, so size your baking dish accordingly.
Melt 3 tbsp of the butter and pour it over your lobster chunks.
Add cream until it just covers the lobster and give it a stir.
Place in 350* oven and bake for 15 minutes.
While that's happening, melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Add your garlic and parsley, and saute for about a minute.
Add your crushed crackers and stir until well combined.
Pull your lobster out of the oven and cover it evenly with the cracker mixture, pressing down so it can absorb some of the cream.
Bake for 5 or 10 minutes, until the crackers are lightly browned.

BadGirl gave me a couple of lobsters awhile back, and this is what I did with them.  OMG so good!  Serve with a nice green salad because I am telling you, this is a super rich dish.


----------



## DeeJay

The Marinade of the Gods is probably sitting in your fridge right now:  *bottled Italian dressing*.

I learned this trick from an Italian guy who also happened to be a chef.  His reasoning was that a homemade marinade contains all the ingredients in Italian dressing, so why not just use Italian dressing?  Tyler Florence uses this same reasoning when cooking with ketchup.  And who are we to argue with Tyler Florence?

Bottled dressing solves the problem of keeping all those ingredients on hand.  Ken and Paul and Marie and Annie have already mixed them up perfectly for you, packaged them conveniently, and they're ready to splash on anything that strikes your fancy.  

Italian dressing works well with all meat.  Marinate pork chops or chicken for a tangy complex flavor; brush it on skewered shrimp during grilling; sprinkle dry Good Seasons over chuck roast and crockpot all day for Italian beef, which gets served with crusty rolls for sandwiches.  Caesar vinaigrette is another dressing that is amazing with grilled chicken or pork chops.  Fancy sounding Tuscan steak is as easy as reaching for the Wishbone.

Vegetables?  Absolutely!  Marinate fresh asparagus or zucchini in Italian dressing, then brush on more while grilling.  Steam broccoli or cauliflower and toss with vinaigrette before serving.  Veggies can always use a shot of flavor to make them interesting; grilling takes them to an even higher level.  Grilled marinated portabellos?  Yes please!

*Crabcake's Italian Beef*

2 packets of dry Good Season's Italian dressing mix
3 lb chuck roast, trimmed of visible fat and membrane removed
water
Pepperoncini, optional
Provolone cheese slices
Crusty rolls - nice solid ones so they don't disintegrate under the beef


Place your roast in the crockpot and sprinkle with the dry dressing
Top with pepperoncini if you like it hot
Pour water over the top of the roast to distribute the dressing mix, barely covering the meat
Cook for 6-8 hours, until the beef is falling apart
Shred the beef in the crockpot and give it a toss to fully mix the flavors

Place Provolone slices on your rolls, then top with beef.  Use the beef drippings as a dipping jus.


----------



## DeeJay

*Soup Hacks*

Take your mother's old standby and give it an easy facelift!

Potato soup:  Add crumbled up canned corned beef (not hash, now) and frozen corn.  Now you have a hearty chowder!

Ham and bean soup:  Add a can of Rotel to boost the flavor.

Cream of Crab:  Crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar take it to the next level.

Chicken noodle soup:  Use couscous instead of noodles for a delicious comfort twist.

Vegetable soup:  Ladle the soup into bowls and add a small scoop of sour cream on top.  Creamy!

Tomato soup:  Add mini meatballs and cooked rotini to turn it into a meal.  

French onion soup:  Make it a casserole.  Line a baking dish with toasted baguette slices, pour the soup over the top, cover with shredded Gruyere, bake until cheese is bubbling and starts to brown.

And a simple tip to boost the flavor of bland canned soups:  Add a tiny splash of vinegar.  That acid balance is almost always what it's missing.


----------



## DeeJay

One of my favorite breakfasts that you can eat for any meal - *Migas*.  I picked it up in Texas, where it's a standard menu item in Mexican restaurants.

eggs
diced tomato
diced green pepper
diced onion
chopped green chilies
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
corn tortillas, or Fritos if you're lazy like me
hot sauce


Fry up your peppers and onion in a little butter until just soft.
Tear tortillas into medium-small pieces and fry with your veggies until crisp.
Alternate:  add a handful of Fritos to your veggies.
Beat eggs and add to pan, stirring to scramble.
While eggs are set but still soft, add tomato and chilies.
Sprinkle cheese over the top and let the heat of the eggs melt it.
When set to your liking, serve with a few shakes of hot sauce over the top.

Note that there are no amounts specified for the ingredients.  You just make as much as you want.

Too lazy to chop veggies?    

Fine, then use pico de gallo from the grocery store and add it to your eggs just as they're starting to set up.  But don't omit the tortillas/Fritos because that's what makes it Migas instead of just scrambled eggs with veggies.


----------



## DeeJay

Quick, easy - and healthy! - breakfast:

Make a hyoooooge pot of steel cut oatmeal - it's nuttier and has better flavor than its rolled cousin.
Fill muffin tins with prepped oatmeal and freeze.
Place frozen oatmeal portions in a large ziploc and stick them back in the freezer.
On busy mornings, place one or two portions in a microwave safe bowl, cover with a paper towel, microwave until hot, and presto! A much better instant breakfast.

Add goodies either during cooking or after reheating. Chopped apples are a winner, and so are strawberries. Toasted pecans and honey - yes please! The goober they put in the instant packets is not only disgusting, but you can't even pronounce most of it. It's way too easy to have homemade oatmeal, even on busy mornings, so there's really no excuse to waste money on the packets of despair.


----------



## DeeJay

Believe it or not, I get messages from people who read this thread and ask me questions.  Vegans/vegetarians get enough play that in addition to responding to them directly, here are some of my best non-cruelty suggestions that even carnivores like me will gobble up:

*Make cauliflower your friend. * Cauliflower has a mild flavor and can be sauced or seasoned in pretty much any way you can think of.  Steamed florets with jarred Indian sauce is amazing, and deep fried cauliflower will make you forget you're eating vegetables.  You've seen riced cauliflower at the grocery store - buy it next time.  You can use it instead of rice in pretty much anything, which is good if you're low carbing it.  Speaking of which...

*Bibimbap. * A few posts ago I told you what that was and how to make it.  IMO, this is the perfect vegetarian comfort dish.  Start with a bed of crispy rice (or riced cauliflower), then add whatever vegetables and non-meat protein makes you happy; finish with a spicy sauce drizzle.  The versatility of bibimbap makes it ideal for anyone with food restrictions, and it's a proper meal instead of an afterthought.

*Tofu.*  Please, I'm asking you nicely, stop futzing up tofu to try and turn it into something else.  Just let it be tofu and delicious in its own right.

Cube firm tofu, toss in cornstarch, and deep fry; serve with a tangy dipping sauce. 
Saute peppers, onions, and mushrooms, then add cubed firm tofu and fry until the tofu starts to brown for a vegan take on scrambled eggs.  
Press the water out of slices of firm tofu and season both sides; brush with olive oil and grill for a few minutes on each side until crispy.   
Toss sliced tofu in cornstarch and fry until crispy; serve over spaghetti with marinara sauce.
See?  I told you tofu could stand on its own.  The reason you think you don't like it is because of abominations like tofu bacon and other sad attempts at turning tofu into meat.  Just like zoodles are vegetables, not noodles, tofu is tofu and not meat.  Let tofu be itself and I swear you will love it.

*Fritos and tater tots are vegan.*  So don't let anyone tell you that adhering to a vegan diet will automatically make you healthy and you'll lose weight.  Walking tacos, man!  

*Veggie burgers.*  I hesitate to even use the word "burger" with these guys because it sets your expectations to meat, which they're not.  And Boca Burgers are disgusting.  Make your own veggie _patties_ *ahem* with chopped black beans, carmelized onion, roasted mushrooms, cooked barley, and - ready? - ground cashews, with a bit of vegan mayo and seasoned bread crumbs for a binder.  Don't think of them as a substitute for anything, let it just be itself and be happy.

*WHAT TO AVOID*


Ugh, fake cheese.  Barf.  It tastes and smells like sweat socks and doesn't melt.  What's the point?
"Crispy" chickpeas.  They never get crispy, I don't care what all those women's magazines say.  At best they get hard and pellet-like.  Ick.
I already mentioned the despair of fake meat.  "It's just like real bacon!"  No, it's not.  "You'll forget you're not eating a hamburger!"  No, you won't.  
Fake ice cream.  Blah.  Why?  The notable exception is So Delicious cashew milk "ice cream".  Buy that, forget the rest.
Vegan "eggs".  If making scrambled "eggs" from a powder doesn't put you off, the slimy consistency of the finished product will.  Why is that even a thing?

Instead of obsessing about what you can't eat on a veg diet, look at all you *can* eat.  I mean, here's this enormous mountain of food you can eat, vs. this little tiny pile of what you can't.  All those wonderful grains and vegetables, spicy savory sauces, warm creamy hummus, every nationality cuisine you can think of, and unhealthy snacks galore.  You probably eat vegan all the time and don't even realize it.  Just roll with it.


----------



## DeeJay

I can't believe I'm just now remembering to tell you about this - *Bacon Jam*!  This is another treat I've made for Christmas gifts to friends and it's always a huge hit.

2 lbs thick cut bacon
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup - the real kind, not Aunt Jemima
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard


Chop the bacon into 1/2" pieces and fry until almost crisp.
Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels,  leaving about 2 Tbsp of the fat in the pan.
Add the chopped onion to the pan and cook until carmelized.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
Add vinegar to the pan and scrape up the bits on the bottom.
Add your brown sugar, syrup, and mustard, and combine well.
Add bacon, stir well and bring to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the jam gets thick.


I like my bacon jam chunky, but if you want a smoother consistency just wait for it to cool and then throw it in the food processor for a few pulses.

*What do you do with bacon jam?*

Fill omelets
Spread on biscuits or toast
Stir a blop into sour cream for an amazing dip
Toss with hot pasta
Add it to your homemade potato salad
Dress roasted brussel sprouts
Liven up a grilled cheese sandwich


----------



## DeeJay

Nommy side that is always a big hit - *Beets & Sweets*!

If you think you don't like beets it's probably because all you've ever had are the pickled kind but, let me tell you, beets are a real vegetable.  A root vegetable, and you know what that means?

That's right - roasting!

Little kids who won't eat anything will eat Beets & Sweets because they're colorful with a sweet rich flavor.  Like veggie candy.

6 beets, peeled
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
Olive oil
Salt and pepper


Cut your peeled beets and sweets into 2" cubes and toss them with a few Tbsps of olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Dump it into  rectangular baking dish and roast at 400* for 45 mins.
Check for doneness and give them more time if needed.

You can also add caramelized onion or chopped cooked bacon (or both!) to fancy it up a bit.  Perfect with roast chicken (or supermarket rotisserie chicken if you're me).


----------



## DeeJay

Today is National Oreo Cookie Day!  Coincidentally, it is also National Dentist Day.  Here's a quick and easy dessert that is delicious, nutritious, and will make your dentist happy.

(Only one of those is true.)

1 package Oreos
1 package large marshmallows
4 Tbsp butter


Put Oreos in a large ziploc bag and crush until there are no large pieces left.
Melt marshmallows and butter in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until you can mix it together well.
Combine Oreos into the marshmallow mix and blend well.
Pour into a well greased 8x8 pan.
Let cool until set, then cut into bars.


----------



## DeeJay

*Perfect smoked brisket*

You have no idea how many poor cows died in my quest to create a smoked brisket that was tender and flavorful.  Brisket is so tough that it's easy to have it end up some chewy mess, which is why so many people put it in the crock pot or pressure cooker instead of smoking it like God intended.  Here's the secret, given to me by none other than Chubby's BBQ in Emmitsburg, which is some of the best Q you will find outside of Lockhart, TX:

*12-12-12*

Take a whole brisket (10-12 lbs).
Marinate it for 12 hours.
Drain, dry rub, and let sit in the fridge for 12 hours.
Finally, smoke it for 12 hours.

The marinade and rub can be your favorite recipe - I have dozens of them but typically make it up on the fly - but the reason your smoked brisket doesn't turn out is because you're not smoking it long enough.  12 hours sounded like a really long time to me because previously I'd been smoking my brisket for 6 or 8 hours.  No.  That's wrong.  A whole brisket needs to go for 12 hours, period.  This results in a tender slab of beef with spectacular burnt ends ( which are the best part of the brisket, right Vince and Monello?).

A whole brisket is a lot of meat, but it's so good it gets gone fast.  You can also freeze it, which will keep it good for recipes and such but you lose that crispy fat that is the second best part of the brisket.  DO NOT TRIM THE FAT!!!  Fat is what lubricates your meat and adds flavor.  No fat = suckage brisket.  You can trim it after smoking.

*TIP:*  a cooler makes a great marinating vessel for a large piece of meat, including brining a turkey.  And friends, if you have never brined your turkey before cooking you flat do not know what you're missing.

*ANOTHER TIP:*  Make soft tacos with brisket, shredded cabbage, and Southwest Ranch dressing drizzled on top.


----------



## DeeJay

Make today a "Try Day".  Try something that you've never eaten before but are curious about.  Quinoa, kale, beets, kiwi, Sonic chili cheese tots....

When my kids were young we used to have "Eat Like a Grownup Night" once a week.  I'd make something more adventurous (for them) for dinner, and they had to eat at least some of it without complaining.  If they were seriously repulsed, they could go make a sandwich after they'd had a few bites.  We had some hits - smoked salmon alfredo, and grilled chicken spinach pizza were two favorites - and a few misses (they still talk about "Ham Voila").  

The original idea behind this was to get them used to different foods so they wouldn't be embarrassing when served something new at a friend's home or out somewhere.  Since it was just one night a week, it was tolerable and we could go back to spaghetti or fish sticks the rest of the week.

Now that *you're* a grownup, why not choose a night and eat like one?  Pick up those zoodles you keep seeing at the grocery store.  Roast some beets.  Try the veal.  You never know, you might find your new favorite food!

*Rachael Ray's Clam Pasta*

1 pound linguini or fettuccini
Extra-virgin olive oil, 4 turns of the pan
6 fillets flat anchovies, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine, 2 turns of pan
1 (15-ounce) can whole baby clams, with their juice
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt to taste


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
Add the linguini and cook to an extra chewy al dente, 7 minutes or so. The linguini will continue to cook in sauce, later. 
To a large skillet heated over medium heat, add oil, anchovies, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. 
Cook together until anchovies melt into oil and break up completely. 
Add wine to the pan and give the pan a shake. 
Add clams and their juice. 
Drain pasta and add it to the clam sauce. Toss and coat the pasta in sauce with clams until the pasta absorbs the flavor and juices, 2 to 3 minutes. 
Remove from heat and season with salt, add parsley and serve.


----------



## DeeJay

I once made a terrific meal for four using cocktail garnishes.  My friend is rich and doesn't cook - she has someone do that for her.  It happened to be the staff's day off (!) and we were sitting around getting hammered on wine and considering what we should do about food.  She had a pack of chicken breasts in the freezer, a box of fettuccini in the pantry, and a few odds and ends.  What she really had, though, was a full bar stocked with every kind of drink garnish you could possibly want.  So I grilled the chicken and sliced it up; boiled the pasta and tossed it in butter with some garlic and herbs; then tossed it all together with marinated mushrooms, black olives, artichoke hearts, baby corn, and a squeeze of lemon.  Amazing.

*The point is that you probably do have something to eat in the house, even when you think there's nothing.*

Got a pack of ramen?  There's not a whole lot that butter and parmesan cheese won't dress up.  Throw the salt bomb pack away, cook the ramen, toss it in butter, then hit it with parmesan and sprinkle it with oregano or parsley.  Pretty!

A can of tuna?  Spread slices of bread with a tiny bit of mayo, top with chunked tuna, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and run them under the broiler.  OR you can boil up pasta (any type), toss it in butter or olive oil, then add the chunked tuna and a squeeze of lemon.

If you have eggs, you have a meal that you can serve to company because they go with anything.  Leftover rice was born to mate with eggs as a fried rice dish, then add whatever veggies/meat you happen to have in the freezer or left over.  A darn fine frittata can be made out of eggs and any leftovers - like my mother's "garbage eggs" with a nicer presentation.

Dig in the back of your pantry and find all those odds and ends that you've been collecting - the jars of strange sauces and condiments, the fancy spinach pasta you bought at the farmer's market a year ago, the dip mixes that you bought at the fair, and, yes, the jars of cocktail garnish that seemed like a good idea at the time.  Chances are good that you can repurpose them into a meal that will astound your family.


----------



## DeeJay

Here's a cool and delicious salad that is my go-to when I can't think of anything else to take to a party or am pressed for time:  *Watermelon Feta Salad*.  It's sweet and salty, refreshing and colorful, and has always been a big hit when I've made it.  Out of all the food I've made for friends, this is the most frequently requested recipe.

1 seedless watermelon (10 to 12 cups of chunks)
1 cup crumbled feta
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 3 limes
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped  (FRESH mint!  Do not use the dried stuff because it's not the same.)


Cut your melon into 1" chunks.
Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, and salt.
In a large bowl, toss the melon and mint together.
Drizzle the dressing mixture over the top, folding and tossing as you go to evenly distribute.
Toss in the feta crumbles right before serving.

The reason you don't want to add the feta and let it sit too long in the melon and dressing is because it starts to dissolve and get somewhat pukey looking, which is about as unappetizing as it gets.  Fresh made it looks like springtime and dances over your tastebuds like a festival.


----------



## DeeJay

I thought I ran out of good tips and recipes, and I hate to bombard with blather.  Reading three pages from someone who has nothing to say and is just filling space is seriously annoying, so I try not to do that.

But yesterday I ate something at a seafood restaurant right outside of Dauphin Island, AL that I had to share with you.  It's called *West Indies Salad*, and it's a lower Alabama classic.  Light and refreshing for those hot summer months, looks fancy and super easy to make.

1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 lb fresh lump crab meat, claw preferred
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ice water - cold as you can get it!
Salt and pepper to taste  <---do add salt or the salad will be bland


In a medium bowl, spread half of the onions.
Top with crab meat.
Top with remaining onions.
Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste on top of that.
Pour oil over the whole thing.
Then pour the vinegar over it.
Then pour the ice water.  DO NOT STIR!
Let marinate overnight in the fridge, then toss before serving.

You can eat West Indies Salad LA style (that's Lower Alabama, ya'll), which is plop some in a bowl and eat it, or you can top a lettuce salad, or you can serve it with crackers as an appetizer.  If you want to fiddle with it, you can add a few shakes of hot sauce.  This salad recipe looks like it needs something, but trust me on this - it's delicious right as is.


----------



## DeeJay

*For Father's Day, throw some steaks on the grill and try this marinade!*  I originally found it affixed to a pack of Shiner Bock beer: 

1 12 oz Shiner Bock (Sam Adams lager works well, too)
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 Tbsp red onions, minced
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 shakes Tabasco sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp coarse brown mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil

Whisk together and use to marinate up to 4 large steaks (make them ribeyes FTW).

Gallon freezer bags are the least messy and most efficient way to marinate meat and veggies.  Place your food in the bag, pour in the marinade, seal it up and give it a shake to distribute.  Place on a plate in case of leakage and refrigerate, turning to redistribute every so often.


*Fun With Words:*  "marinade" is the liquid concoction; "marinate" is what you do with it.  Marinade=noun.  Marinate=verb.  Marinate the meat in the marinade.

And while we're on the subject of grilling, did you know that fruit becomes an amazing treat when grilled?  Pineapple is particularly good, just brush it with vegetable oil first so it doesn't stick.  Local peaches (Trossbach's, I'm talking to you!) are perfect on the grill.  Peel, pit, and halve the peaches, brush with vegetable oil and grill on both sides, serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with cinnamon for a simple dessert that will knock your socks off.


----------



## DeeJay

Jack up your Taco Tuesday by skipping the boxed shells and frying your own.

*Crunchy Corn Tortillas*

Get a pack of corn tortillas at pretty much any grocery store.
Line a cookie sheet with paper towels.
Heat a bit of vegetable oil on medium-high in a pan - doesn't need to be a lot, you can replenish as needed.
When the oil is hot cook tortillas one at a time, frying for 15 seconds on each side.
With tongs, pick up the tortilla so that it's draped over the tongs and let it drain in the pan for a few seconds.  This will give it time to crisp up and take shape.
Place the cooked tortilla open side down on the paper towels, so it's standing up like a tent.
Make all the shells and let them cool before you fill them.

*Flour Tortillas for soft tacos*

Give your frying pan just a tiny bit of oil and spread it around the pan.
Fry your tortillas 5-10 seconds on each side.
Place them on the paper towels to de-puff and fill with meat immediately, then fold.
Do that until you run out of tortillas or meat.

It only takes a few minutes to make your own taco shells and the difference is amazing.  It's a quick and easy way to impress your family or guests.


----------



## DeeJay

Easiest creamy tomato soup recipe EVER!









						Easy Three-Ingredient Tomato Soup
					

You only need three ingredients for this velvety, rich tomato soup recipe. This is your new favorite soup.




					www.inspiredtaste.net
				




4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, cut into large wedges
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, we prefer to use whole peeled or crushed, see notes for fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water, low sodium vegetable stock, or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or more to taste

Directions

Melt butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or large saucepan.
Add onion wedges, water, can of tomatoes with their juices, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add additional salt as needed.
Blend the soup, and then season to taste. The soup doesn’t need to be ultra-smooth, some texture is a nice touch. An immersion blender does make quick work of this, or you can use a blender. If you use a regular blender, it is best to blend in batches and not fill the blender as much as you usually would since the soup is so hot. We like to remove the center insert of the lid and cover it with a kitchen towel while blending — this helps to release some of the steam and prevents the blender lid from popping off (which can be a big, hot mess).


----------

